Anambra Election: IPOB back down, suspend sit-at-home 

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has cancelled its one-week sit-at-home order it issued across the South-East. IPOB said it called off the order after consultations with elders as well as traditional and religious leaders from the region.

The group’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday after denying IPOB’s involvement in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.

He stated that it is not IPOB’s intention to add to the pains of the people it claims to fight for since all business activities would be brought to a halt with the sit-at-home order.

The spokesperson said in the statement, “Following the genuine intervention of our elders, esteemed traditional institutions/rulers and religious leaders and after due consideration of the positive impacts of their engagement and sequel to the fact that our elders have spoken in our terms, the leadership of IPOB ably led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu hereby and immediately call off the one-week sit-at-home earlier declared to commence tomorrow, November 5 to November 10, 2021.

“We have equally considered several appeals by our mothers who earn their living based on their daily economic activities which will obviously be affected if Biafraland is locked down for one whole week. It’s never our intention to add to the pains of our people, hence our decision to suspend the sit-at-home.

“IPOB leadership is only interested in our referendum and peaceful agitation for self-determination, and cannot by under any guise be seen to be interfering with any electoral process,” he said.

The proscribed group urged the people of Anambra to come out to vote for their preferred candidate on Saturday.

“The people of Anambra State should go out en masse and peacefully exercise their franchise come 6th November 2021 and accordingly, choose a leader of their choice and should not be intimidated by anybody, group of persons or security agents.

“Anambrarians should vote and standby to protect their votes. No rigging of any kind will be tolerated on the Anambra State governorship election. It must be transparent, free and fair to all,” the statement added.